Another flyhalf option for Springboks?
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Robert Du Preez's incredible form might just make sure his name gets tabled when it comes to the Springboks debate.
Du Preez has been one of the players who has been instrumental in Sale Sharks' rise and his performances have earned him the Premiership Player of the Month for December 2022 award.
Du Preez, the top scorer in the Premiership with 133 points to his name, was praised by pundit and Premiership ambassador, Ugo Monye.
Monye said: "Sale Sharks have been putting in rounded team performances, the most I have seen from Sharks in quite a long while, and of course, Rob has been crucial to that.
"He has been really commanding, leading with his actions on the pitch whether it has been gameplay, control, goal kicking, his all-round game has been fantastic in December.
"He has added some really impressive try-scoring form of late, whether in the Premiership Rugby or Europe. The Sale Sharks are sat there in second in Premiership Rugby and really playing in quite a groove.
"They could still chase down Saracens in the top spot, and they have given themselves a buffer because they have beaten teams up and down the league as well as the ones around them.
"So, that result at the weekend getting five points and denying Harlequins anything shows that they can get points off teams that are targeting those top two spots."
Andy Newby, Sales Director, who presented the award said: "We are delighted to present the award for Premiership Player of the Month to Rob for his performance in December.
The Sharks have now established a good distance between them and Harlequins in third place and Rob has played a key role in helping them achieve this.
"Drawing on his international experience he has become a key member of Alex Sanderson’s squad and will continue to play a pivotal role in the team’s success during the rest of Premiership Rugby this season."
Saracens flyhalf Owen Farrell was the runner-up this month with London Irish's Ollie Hassell-Collins third. Monye is delighted to see the way the Sharks are not only performing on the pitch but off it.
He added: "They sold out their last game at the AJ Bell, so it is not just what the team is doing but the community is getting really excited about what they have up there.
"It says a lot about the side that Alex Sanderson is building up there, you can often see the personality of a director of rugby run right throughout the team and Alex as a player and a coach is very detailed around the fundamentals of the game.
"He respects the fundamentals and so does the team, they are a hard-working side with the best defence in the league and they have layered some great attack on top of that.
"They are the attributes that you need to be really competitive, so it is no surprise that they are sat where they are."